Lasers for burning?

I've been lurking here for a bit now, been posting around and bought a laser or 2 and safety goggles of course. But I've yet to come across people discussing the burning aspect of a laser more so than the visual aspect. I understand different wavelengths are more visable others and it can be calculated through a calculator. But as far as burning, are some wavelengths more powerful burners than others? Like would 300mw of 650 burn just as well as 300mw of 532? is there a basic "Lower wavelengths need more power to burn while higher wavelengths need less power" kind of rule?

Thanks, Y'all

Kind of the opposite. A milliwatt of energy is a milliwatt of energy, so 100mW of 532nm laser light will have just as much energy as 100mW of 660nm laser light. The burning factor comes into play with wavelength absorption. Shorter wavelengths are absorbed more easily than longer wavelengths, and therefore burn 'better'. This is why a 200mW 405nm laser can burn through white paper and white tape, while a 200mW 660nm laser will just make the paper glow blindingly bright, but you'd have your goggles on so you wouldn't see this .

Hello, Welcome to do a bit research by your self. So many times talked about this around here.
All you need to do is type in two words at the searchfield. "Burning wavelenght" e voila.

From personal experience so far... nothing beats a 405nm laser in terms of per mW burning power... shorter wavelength... better absorption...

In terms of power in a handheld though... 1W+ 445nm is the best

Dawinzi said:

"Burning wavelenght" e voila.

Click to expand...

You might get better results though if you spell "wavelength" correctly.

Hmmm, besides reminds me, a good thread about burning stuff is still missing from my Index.

Haha, well you'r right but it worked perfectly

Depends on the thing you want to burn. The best burner I saw so far was 405nm because lots of colors can absorb it well. But if you color a match black every wavelengh should burn well .

Machro said:

Depends on the thing you want to burn. The best burner I saw so far was 405nm because lots of colors can absorb it well. But if you color a match black every wavelengh should burn well .

Click to expand...

The black burns better with any laser color (obviously black absorbs all visible wavelengths), no doubt and I have not said the opposite, but does not explain everything.

With this I meant that an object with any color, in general it will burn better with a 405nm laser of 200mW, vs. a laser 635nm 200mw, although is black.

Then I deduce that, the energy of a photon is greater whichever minor is your wavelength, and the Planck's constant says the same thing.

If not, explain how a (about) 200mw 405nm laser can burn a white sheet, and a (about) 200mw 660nm laser not, when we know that white does not absorb any color.

That is why color of the thing to burn is important, but does not explain everything.

Hopefully I was not wrong :can:

Also my English is very bad :cryyy:

@piferal

Your english is fine. Also the ability of the material being burned being able to absorb/dissipate heat is very important, not just the surface color/texture.